Illumination indicator for lamps



-Oct. 28 1924- H. A. GERKEN CATOH LAMPS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov.

INVENTOR 7 By i rLL' @rromsrs Oct. 28 1924- 1,513,545

H. A. GERKEN ILLUMINATION INDICATOR FOR LAMPS Filed Nov. 21, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 4; ATTORNEYS H. A. GERKEN ILLUMINATION INDICATOR FOR LAMPS Oct. 28 1924- Filed Nov. 21 L922 3 Sheets-Sheet 6 zw "M BVZZW ATTORNEYS Patented Oct..28, 1924.

. 1,513,545 PATENT orrics.

HENRY GERKEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ILLUMINATION INDICATOR FOR LAMPS.

I Application filed November 21, 1922, SerialNo. 602,411.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, HENRY A. Gamma, a.

citizen of the United States, residing in the city-,cmmty, and State of New York, have invented certain. new and useful-Improvements in Illumination Indicators for Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to-illumination indicators tor lamps, particularly the lamps of automotive vehicles, for indicating to the driver or other occupant of the vehicle that the same are properly lighted.

.A good understanding of the invention may be had from the following description having reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 1s a plan view'ot' one form of embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of Figure l; Figure 3 is a section of Figure 1 on line III-III, looking in thedirection ofthe arrows; I V

Figure 4 is a view showing a modification of Figure l;

Figure 5 is a view showing the metal blank employed for manufacture of the device shown in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a view showing a section of Figure 4 on line Vl-Vl, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 7 is a front elevation illustrating the, manner of applying the indicator to one wcll-known type of automobile headlight; is a side view of Figure '7; and

Figures 9 and 10 are views similar to Figure 8, slwwing the indicator of the present invention applied to other types of automobile headlights.

-Similar charactcrs of reference designate similar parts in each of the several views.

The indicator illustrated in Figure 1 is composed of a single piece of non-rusting sheet metal such, for example, as aluminum or suitable alloy, and consists of three main portions, namely a head 1, a stem 2 and a base 3. The head is circular in shape and is Figure 8 provided with a polished surface for reflect- .inglight from the automobile lamp toward the driver, as hereinafter set forth. The base 3 may be of any suitable form but is preferably in the shape of an eye for receivmg a bolt or other fastening member for securing the device to the body of the a uton1obile,-as hereinafter set forth. The stem 2 extends from the base to the head and is tapered slightly toward the base, as indirated in Figure 1.-

rib 4 is formed in the stem, by stampingpr in any other suitable manner, to provide re-enforcement therefor.

For practical use, the indicating device is mounted adjacent to the lamp for which it isto serve as an indicator, the particular form and manner of mounting being dependent upon the type of lamp support. In the type of construction shown in Figures 7 and 8, the reflecting device is mounted on one of the bolts 5 of the lamp bracket, the nut 6 thereof being first removed to permit the eye 3 of the device to be placed over the shank of bolt 5, and thenut thereupon beihg replaced. The stem 2 of the device is then t'wistbd and bent adjacent jaceiit the head in such manner that light flOI the lamp is reflected toward the opcrat of the vehicle. The reflector thus scrv as an absolute indicator of" the illumination of the lamp. In the preferied.

the base and adwar-cl the driver is not such as to pIOdi lCB a glare or interfere with the operators clear vision of the road. The particular adjustment of the reflector depends in each case upon; the eometrical relation existing-between the various parts, understood.

In Figure 9 the device is shown in operative relation to a lamp which is provided with a supporting bracket of atype bolted to the tender 8 of the vehicle. In this case, the eye of the bracket is placed over one of the bolts 9 of the bracket, and the device'is thereupon bent adjacent its base and'adjacent its head into the proper shape for retlecting'the light of the lamp toward the driver of the vehicle.

It will be noted that in both of the above cases the indicating device of the present invention may be ailixed to the lamps without. the use of any separate attaching memhers, and withoutmutilating any parts of the automobile body. The manner of at tachment is so simple that it can be performed by any one and with simple tools,

ment is not feasible, the device may be atas will be readily tion of the parts, which relations difler,'.oi'

tached readily by afiixing it to some convenient part of the body, as for example, by bolting the eye 3 to the adjacent fender of' the vehicle, a bolt 11 being passed through an opening, made for this .purpose, in a convenient place on the fender.-

It will be observed that in each case the flexibility of the stem 2 permits of a ready and convenient adjustment of the reflecting device intothe proper position. This feature is of importance owing to the large amount of variations of the geometrical relacourse, with the various makes of cars.

It will be observed, moreover, that by 'virtue of the stifiening rib 4 the twisting andbending of the stem is substantially limited to the 'partsadjacent the head and base, respectively, the intermediate parts of the stem, by virtue of the stifiening rib,

'. serving'to keep the device in adjusted position.

In the modified 'form of construction of the indicating device, as illustrated in Figure 4, the'head 1, instead ofihavin an integral reflecting surface, is provide with a glass mirror 12 which mirror is secured to the head by means of tongues 13 formed spirit and scope of the invention, it being my intention to' claim the same as broadly as the state of the prior art will permit.

' What I claim is: 4

-An indicator for automobile headlights,

said indicator being formed of a single piece of sheet material and comprising a shank, the lower end of which has an apertured foot andthe other end of which has a reflecting surface, the intermediate portion oi the shank being provided with a longitudinal stiffening rib, the said sheet material being of such character and thickness that the indicator may be bent or twisted to vary the angtilar. adjustment of the shank and the re e'cting surface.

In-testimony whereof I have afiixed' my signature to this specification.

HENRY A. GERKEN. 

